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[ObviousMan]

I've had a set of Dunlop Direzza's(275/35x18) on the Turner Motorsport Forgeline wheels. The tires had been sitting around a friend's garage for most of a year and then in my garage for most of a year. The rubber hardened up enough that they are slower to autocross on than the stock Michelin PS2's. After last month's BMW Club autocross, I finally decided the Direzza's were done. Tomorrow, I'll try the Hankook RS-3's, also 275/35x18, at an SCCA autocross. I'm looking forward to seeing how they feel.

[wwjd15]

Comparing to Direzza's, RS3 has far more grip and almost an R-compound feel. However, RS3 has less feedback than Direzza. It depends on what you prefer.

[ObviousMan]

Thanks for the feedback. I run Kumho V710's on my 330Ci, so I'll be curious to see if the Hankook's come close to that grip level. Tomorrow, the surface is a smooth, low grip asphalt. Next weekend, I'll get to run on much grippier concrete at the BMW Club autocross.

[bigjae1976]

On my 330, I went from the Dunlop SS Z1s to the RS3s. The RS3s have more grip and seem to last longer. 2 weekends at the track, all over 100 degrees and I still have a lot of tread left.

IMO, the RS3s kind of suck on the street. They are noisy, tramline pretty bad, and have some weird vibration issue when cold. Not sure if the heat cycles have contributed to these issues.

Here is my detailed review....
http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthread.php?t=869823

I wouldn't hesitate to use these again for just the track.

[wwjd15]

Originally Posted by ObviousMan

Thanks for the feedback. I run Kumho V710's on my 330Ci, so I'll be curious to see if the Hankook's come close to that grip level. Tomorrow, the surface is a smooth, low grip asphalt. Next weekend, I'll get to run on much grippier concrete at the BMW Club autocross.

LOL, forget about it. No way you can compare RS3's to V710's.

[arter]

RS3's need heat to get grip, especially compared to the Z1's.
That may not be problem in texas, but up north you have to work them more before they start to stick. Very slippy the first run.

Once hot they are very good and don't get greasy as quickly as the Z1's

[bigjae1976]

Originally Posted by arter

RS3's need heat to get grip, especially compared to the Z1's.
That may not be problem in texas, but up north you have to work them more before they start to stick. Very slippy the first run.

Once hot they are very good and don't get greasy as quickly as the Z1's

Thanks for the info. Correct, I haven't had the opportunity to test cold grip here in TX...unless you consider 60 degress cold.

BTW...nice choice of color!

[ObviousMan]

The RS-3's were great at the autocross, today! I had been running my 330 in D-Stock, so those guys are kind of my benchmark. Running the M3 in A-Stock, I was only about 1.5 seconds off of the fast D-Stock guys who were all on full R-Comp tires. I was happy to be that close with a bigger, heavier car.

Temps were in the mid 70's while I was running. The front tires warmed up to the point that I would have to adjust the pressure back down 1 to 2 psi after each run. The rears never got enough heat in them to change pressure or even really feel very warm to the touch. Tire feel was good from the beginning. Good turn in grip and response, except for the toughest corners where I didn't always give up quite enough speed on entry and had to deal with the understeer.

I started them at 40 psi all around and settled on 39 psi front and 38 psi rear. They were showing wear just to the edge of the tread at those pressures.

All in all, a good day...the other A-Stock runner was in a 2009 M3, but only his second time to autocross it and his tires were older, so I won my class and had a great time on the new tires.

[STALKER]

Anyone run the RS-3s and the NT05s? How they compare?

[smmmurf]

Originally Posted by bigjae1976

On my 330, I went from the Dunlop SS Z1s to the RS3s. The RS3s have more grip and seem to last longer. 2 weekends at the track, all over 100 degrees and I still have a lot of tread left.

IMO, the RS3s kind of suck on the street. They are noisy, tramline pretty bad, and have some weird vibration issue when cold. Not sure if the heat cycles have contributed to these issues.

Here is my detailed review....
http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthread.php?t=869823

I wouldn't hesitate to use these again for just the track.

RS-3 heat cycle out much faster than Star Spec. They have tread left but the compound does not perform the same after a few track days. FYI

[IND-Distribution]

The RS3 overall seems to be a fairly "sensitive" tire. They like to be hot, they will as above poster said heat cycle out more quickly, they seem to be less capable in wet weather, and so on.

One of my favorite things about the Star Spec is how easy to live with the tires are on a double duty car- they offer solid cold grip and are great in the rain.

I'd say the RS3s are a very good overall product. They are further to the "outright performance" side of the scale than the Z1 Star Spec which to me seems like a better double duty sports tire, that was my impression.

[wwjd15]

Originally Posted by STALKER

Anyone run the RS-3s and the NT05s? How they compare?

Rs3s are way better than Nt05 in pretty much every way. NT05 feels pretty street tires but they wear out like r compound if you drive them hard. NT05s only last 2 days which is about 3 hours on track.
I can track my rs3s for about 8 hours with aggressive camber settings, about 6 hours with street alignment.

[STALKER]

Originally Posted by wwjd15

Rs3s are way better than Nt05 in pretty much every way. NT05 feels pretty street tires but they wear out like r compound if you drive them hard. NT05s only last 2 days which is about 3 hours on track.
I can track my rs3s for about 8 hours with aggressive camber settings, about 6 hours with street alignment.

If they don't heat cycle well, won't they not last too long for HPDE use with 20-40 minute sessions?? By last, I don't mean tread, but useable performance. The NT05s don't really have a problem with heat cycling.

[PINHEAD]

had the RS3's before, they are okay. Grip very well but wears out about same rate as NT-01 without the grip, probably why they are so cheap and certain people can get them at a discount. Id much prefer Advan AD08s

[wwjd15]

Originally Posted by STALKER

If they don't heat cycle well, won't they not last too long for HPDE use with 20-40 minute sessions?? By last, I don't mean tread, but useable performance. The NT05s don't really have a problem with heat cycling.

Acutally, RS3s have very good useable performance even the thread seems wore.
I'm not sure about NT05s though. They were gone way too faster than what I expected. I didn't even have a chance to compare the useable performance.

Originally Posted by PINHEAD

had the RS3's before, they are okay. Grip very well but wears out about same rate as NT-01 without the grip, probably why they are so cheap and certain people can get them at a discount.

People use RS3 mostly likely are limited to street tires class, and aslo the fun factor of street tires. No doubt that NT01s outperforms RS3s. Normally we shouldn't compare performance street tires to R compound.

[arter]

I think RS3's might be the stickiest street car tire ( 140 rating or above for you SOLO people) out there if you get them heated up and they are fresh.

Personally, I have AD08's as a more all around track-able street tire.
Very good for heavy cars like our M3. ( Besides, I suck at autocross).

[STALKER]

Originally Posted by wwjd15

Acutally, RS3s have very good useable performance even the thread seems wore.
I'm not sure about NT05s though. They were gone way too faster than what I expected. I didn't even have a chance to compare the useable performance.




People use RS3 mostly likely are limited to street tires class, and aslo the fun factor of street tires. No doubt that NT01s outperforms RS3s. Normally we shouldn't compare performance street tires to R compound.

I ran NT05s this year out on track, but I will probably try RS-3s next season. What sort of pressures did you find worked well? Where you running a lot of camber?

[wwjd15]

Originally Posted by STALKER

I ran NT05s this year out on track, but I will probably try RS-3s next season. What sort of pressures did you find worked well? Where you running a lot of camber?

RS3s don't mind running a bit hot. Normally I would run 38 hot in summer and 40 hot in cold seasons. Camber wise, it depends on your set up. I run -3.5 front and -3.0 when running 275/285; and -3.2 and -2.2 when running 285 square.

[bigjae1976]

Originally Posted by smmmurf

RS-3 heat cycle out much faster than Star Spec. They have tread left but the compound does not perform the same after a few track days. FYI

Yeah, I'm finding that out. The back end on my 330 is now quite squirrely. After doing some spirited driving in the rain today...I'm starting to think the RS3s are crap. I had a funny suspicion that I would eventually come to this conclusion.

Originally Posted by Ilia@IND

One of my favorite things about the Star Spec is how easy to live with the tires are on a double duty car- they offer solid cold grip and are great in the rain.

I'd say the RS3s are a very good overall product. They are further to the "outright performance" side of the scale than the Z1 Star Spec which to me seems like a better double duty sports tire, that was my impression.

Agreed. My main complaint about the Z1 is that they kind of wear quickly. But the Z1s are amazing in the rain. Not so for the RS3s so far.

[persian54]

Originally Posted by bigjae1976

On my 330, I went from the Dunlop SS Z1s to the RS3s. The RS3s have more grip and seem to last longer. 2 weekends at the track, all over 100 degrees and I still have a lot of tread left.

IMO, the RS3s kind of suck on the street. They are noisy, tramline pretty bad, and have some weird vibration issue when cold. Not sure if the heat cycles have contributed to these issues.

Here is my detailed review....
http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthread.php?t=869823

I wouldn't hesitate to use these again for just the track.

Yeah they are noisy for sure...and the tramline is pretty bad... but I really love their grip

I thought I was crazy about the vibration issue X.x...but mine happens even if they aren't really cold... after some time driving. Maybe my wheels need another road force balance

I haven't tracked them yet, going on the 20th. Haven't had time.

Street driven them for about 1-1300 miles. Love them. They are always grippy.
Never have I lost traction..though I don't push them on the street... lol.
but my CS3s kept losing traction once the thread was worn down to 5/32

[bigjae1976]

As I drive the RS3s on the street, I hate them...my hate grows as I drive more miles. Then I go to the track and they perform great. I think my squirrely rear end was fixed with a minor height adjustment.

During my weekend at Texas Worldspeedway, they didn't make any noise even when I entered a couple of corners way too hot.

[aongch]

Originally Posted by wwjd15

RS3s don't mind running a bit hot. Normally I would run 38 hot in summer and 40 hot in cold seasons. Camber wise, it depends on your set up. I run -3.5 front and -3.0 when running 275/285; and -3.2 and -2.2 when running 285 square.

Jumping from NT-01s to RS3s, will start from these settings, thanks Ricky. Hopefully they will hold up as well as the Rcomps, I do have close to those camber settings already.